Through The Fire
by PLLHalebSpoby
Summary: Set in season 4. Spencer's already complicated life, is thrown into a tailspin when she is forced to leave her home, and move in with Toby. Living with Toby is easy, the complications from leaving her home, are not. Will she finally find happiness? Or will A take that away, too?
1. Chapter 1

The Hastings estate, usually a dungeon of law encyclopedias and college-level text books, was now a fortress of security and privacy, as Spencer puttered around the kitchen, going through the motions of making herself a hot dinner.

"Hey, champ."

"Hey, Dad," she said, looking up from her work as Peter Hastings walked through the kitchen. "I thought you weren't getting home until later."

"Oh, I got off early tonight."

"That's lucky."

The microwave _dinged_, announcing that her food was ready for her consumption. With careful fingers, she removed the searing tray from the spin wheel, and set it on the island counter.

"Your mother told me about UPENN."

Spencer could feel her blood pressure rise as she forcibly dug her fork into the pasta, ignoring the biting burn her tongue took when she plunged the food into her mouth.

"I got my rejection letter a few weeks ago."

"Well, that's just early admission. There are things that we can do to change this."

"I'm not too concerned about it." _Unlike you and Mom, _she thought, barely controlling herself from letting that retort out into the open.

"Well, Spencer, this is your future. This isn't something-"

"I _know_, Dad," she sighed, curling a strand of hair behind her ear as she focused all of her attention on her food, which was looking more and more appealing by the minute.

"If you know, why aren't you more concerned?"

"Because maybe I don't care about going to the family alma mater as much as the rest of you do!"

The words that had spewed out like lava from a volcano, stunned both of them. More so Spencer, because for her entire life, she had easily and effortlessly fallen in line with what her family expected of her, and her departure from that mindset, was something neither of them expected.

"That's not funny, Spencer. Your sister-"

"My sister _what_?" Spencer yelled, finally reaching her breaking point as she stood her ground firmly, arms wrapped around the other as she stared her father down. "My sister the perfect angel who does no wrong? My _sister _who was at the lodge the night of the fire, and probably caused it?"

Spencer watched her father breathe like a winded rhino, his eyes averted from his daughters until he finally looked back up again, his face an unreadable mask.

"Your sister has done more with her life than just about any young woman of her age that I know of."

"And then there's me, right?" Spencer demanded harshly, uncrossing her arms as she dragged her pumps across the floor, and stuffed her feet into the tight space. "The failure, the daughter who got committed to a mental hospital. Well, I'm sorry-"

"Spencer-"

"I'm sorry I'm such a monumental disappointment to you and Mom."

Her own breathing strained, she hitched her purse up onto her shoulder as she swiftly crossed the short distance from the kitchen area to the side doors in the living room. She needed to go, she needed to escape from that atmosphere, even if it was only for a few hours.

"Spencer!" The anger and the ferocity in her father's voice, made her momentarily pause, one hand on the door handle as she turned her profile to look at him. "If you leave this house right now, don't bother coming back."

"That won't be a problem."

Even though she had known her parents since birth, and had been inducted into the Hastings way of thinking since the time she was able to string together sentences, it still hurt that her father could turn his back on her so quickly, and over a failed college application.

Her shoes crunched on the dewy grass as she numbly made her way to her car, her fingers shaky as she started the car and carefully drove it down the darkened, but empty streets of Rosewood.

The course of action was simple, her base of operations a no brainer: The loft, the place where her heart was, where all of her troubles seemed to make just a little more sense, and were less bunglesome.

When the loft had first been put into Toby's possession, he immediately had given her her own set of keys, so she would be free to come and go as she pleased, and she was never more grateful for that, than she was right then, especially considering how late at night it was.

The Brew, the coffee shop the loft was situated above, was silent, dark, having long since closed for the evening, as she parked on the side of the street, directly beneath the entrance to the apartment. The rickety but firm steps leading up the door, were never more inviting as she clumsily stuck the key in the door and unlocked it.

The spacious living and kitchen area was dark, deserted as she carefully picked her way across the floor, careful not to trip on any of Toby's tools that might be lying there. Turning sharply to the left, she walked up the two short steps that separated the bathroom and bedroom from the rest of the place.

There was only one short hallway that housed the bathroom and bedroom, and Toby's bedroom was the first door on the left. Turning the knob gently, she creeped inside, closing the door quietly as she walked around to the unoccupied part of the bed.

"Spencer?"

She jumped, quickly recovering from her scare as she saw Toby readjust himself so he was propped up on his pillows as he surveyed, what must have looked like a very strange scene to him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, no, that's not a problem." He leaned over, turning on the bedside lamp as he squinted his eyes, trying to make them adjust to the sudden light. "But are _you _okay?"

Spencer sat on the bed, swinging her legs over so she was lying down beside him. "My uh, dad kicked me out tonight."

"He did _what_?"

"We got in a fight about Melissa, and college, and I started to leave to come here, and he told me that if I left, to not come back."

Those were words a parent should never confront their child with, and both of them knew it. Spencer sniffed, trying to regain control of her emotions as Toby gently adjusted her so her head was lying on his chest.

She allowed the movement, feeling an unmatched peace settle over her entire being, as she breathed in the subtle scent of his cologne, and shampoo.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

She smiled, the corners of her mouth turning up into a smile as she closed her eyes, feeling completely at ease, and at home now that she was there.

"For being here."


	2. Chapter 2

"So, I was looking at this DQ dress with this really sexy neckline, and it had this thin blue waist," Hanna was saying, as she paused her monologue to take a drink of her sparkling water. "But my Mom saw it, and it was donzo, so that's not going to fly."

"Spence, where are all the best dresses this year?"

Spencer shrugged, not having an opinion either way, as she took considerable time lifting a carrot into her mouth. "Philly, I guess."

"You want to go with us after school, right?" Aria said, "it'll be one of the only times we can do it."

"Yeah, especially since _we _have to help set up for it," Hanna grumbled, clearly not enthralled with the idea of offering her services to something that she thought she should be enjoying.

"Hanna, it's the pre-set up. They're going to let us enjoy the night, they're not going to make us work the night of the prom," Emily pointed out.

"My manicure could be ruined," she whined.

Spencer stayed quiet as she habitually checked her phone for any text messages or missed calls from Toby. They both had had to wake up early that morning. He, to go to a job site, and she to sneak back into her home to pack her clothes up, and get her books and bag for school.

"Hey, are you okay?" Aria asked, finally seeming to notice how silent her best friend had become during their lunch. "You aren't really acting like yourself."

"No, I'm just tired."

"Pull another all nighter?"

Spencer shook her head as she unscrewed the cap of her drink, took a long pull from it, and replaced the cap again. "I got kicked out last night."

"What do you mean?" Emily said. "You got kicked_ out_?" Spencer nodded mutely. "For _what_?"

Spencer nursed her bottom lip as she mulled over her answer. "My dad confronted me about not getting into UPENN-"

"UPENN rejected you?" Hanna interjected.

"Hanna," Aria said, shaking her head in disbelief at her friend. "Anyway, Spence. What happened?"

"And he and I got into this big fight about it, and he told me that if I walked out, to not come back."

"Do you think he meant that?" Emily asked skeptically as she studied her friend.

"I don't know, but I know that if he really _did _care about me, he would never have let me leave like that and in the middle of the night."

Aria shook her head, laying her hand in the crook of Spencer's arm. "I'm so sorry, Spence."

"So where did you go?" Emily asked. "You could have gone to any of our houses."

"I know," Spencer sighed. "I stayed the night at Toby's."

"What did he think about all of this?"

Spencer shrugged. "He understands it, he went through pretty much the same thing with his parents, so we're kind of kindred spirits when it comes to that."

And it was true. If she and Toby shared _anything _in common, it was that they both knew how it felt to be ostracized from their families, and made to feel like an outcast.

"So are you shacking up with him now-"

"Yes, _Hanna_," Spencer said, rolling her eyes. "I am _shacking _up with my boyfriend, since I pretty much have nowhere else to go, really."

"Hey," Aria said. "You know that you can always stay with any of us. Things are pretty tense with Mike, and my Dad wouldn't care."

Spencer nodded, considering her words. "I know, and I appreciate it. And I'll probably take you up on it eventually, but right now-"

"You just want to be with Toby?" Emily surmised.

"Yeah," Spencer nodded. "But do you guys want to come over after school? To the loft, I mean."

"Yeah," Aria said, "sounds like fun."

"By the way," Hanna said, setting her fork down, and glancing pointedly at her short best friend. "How are you and Jack doing-"

"_Jake_, Hanna," Aria said, "and he's good. _We're _good."

"Oh, so is he prom material, maybe?" Spencer said, letting herself enjoy this moment with her three best friends, as she let a grin grace her features.

"Maybe. I don't know. Is it okay to ask a guy if he doesn't ask you first?"

"Typically no," Spencer said. "But if, maybe, you were pretty serious about him and he wouldn't mind you taking control, it would work."

Aria nodded thoughtfully in response to Spencer's words, as she sipped her drink. "So are you going to live with Toby now?"

Spencer shrugged, a hesitant smile playing across the edges of her lips as she considered taking the plunge, and leapfrogging into another milestone in their relationship.

"Maybe."

"Oh, Spence!" Hanna squealed. "You have to go shopping, decorate the loft-"

"Tone it down, Han," Aria said. "But give me an idea of the bathroom. What's it look like?"

"It's actually pretty big, and it has a his or her sink, and it has decent counter space."

"So you'll have enough room for your own feminine products, that's good."

Normally, a girl would be embarrassed to discuss personal things like periods, or "feminine" products, but Spencer had known these girls for almost her entire life, so those kinds of things weren't an issue for her to talk about.

"And maybe if you guys would want to-"

"Don't even _say _it, Hanna," Spencer growled, fixating Hanna with what her friends used to call "the apocalypse glare."

"What?" Hanna said, throwing her hands up in the air. "I was just stating the obvious."

"Well, the obvious does _not _need to be stated."

* * *

School and the plethora of academic stimulation, was a place where Spencer usually thrived, but ever since her rejection from UPENN, school had been more of a hindrance, than a place that she actively looked foreword to going.

She was relieved when the final bell rang, and she and her friends were allowed to leave for the day, and not have to worry about it until the next day. The Brew was their destination of choice to grab their coffee fix, and maybe a cookie or two.

Once they had gotten their caffeine fix, and their treats, they walked back out of the shop, and up the side steps that led to his loft. Spencer smiled involuntarily as she slid the key into the lock, and opened the door. Being there, even if he wasn't, was like being home, and the coffee smell that wafted up from the Brew, wasn't entirely unwelcome, either.

"You can sit wherever you want," Spencer shrugged, as she set her bag down on the kitchen table, and settled herself on the sofa, with her coffee cradled in her hands.

"So when do you want to go to Philly?" Emily asked, sitting down next to Spencer with her drink snug in her hands.

"I don't know, maybe after school tomorrow?"

The other three girls nodded in agreement with her plan. Even though prom wasn't as big of a deal to Spencer as it was to the other girls in her school, but it would be nice to get out of Rosewood for an afternoon, and shamelessly indulge in regular teenage activities.

* * *

Even though Spencer loved the girls like her own sisters, she was relieved when they finally left, shortly after Toby had returned from work. It was time that she got an evening with just her and Toby, with no work, no A and no stress to mess it up.

"I _might _have to go to Bucks County next week," Toby warned. "My boss said they're short there, and need another guy there to balance it out."

"How long will you be gone?" Spencer asked quietly, as she twisted the comforter around her finger, avoiding his gaze.

"Only a few days," he promised.

"Only? A few days seems like a thousand years right now."

Toby was quiet as he contemplated her words. She knew he wouldn't go if he could help it, but she was feeling just the littlest bit hurt that she wouldn't be able to see him for those few days, even if it was for work.

"I know that, honey, but right now I need that money to finish the renovations, and I also need to be put in a position where I could be next for a promotion."

Temporarily forgetting her disappointment, she arched her body so she was facing him. "_Is_ that a possibility?"

"If the guys in Bucks are impressed, yeah."

"That's incredible."

"Hmm, so are you."

He leaned over, gently cradling her face in his hands as he blessed her mouth with a series of short pecks, that left her craving more, as she reciprocated the movement, deepening the kiss as his hand weaved itself through her hair.

"I love you," she whispered, batting away the irksome tears that were pushing to make their appearance.

"I love you, too."


	3. Chapter 3

Spencer hated goodbyes, she had ever since her favorite nanny had left, and had never come back, having been fired by her father for some misdeed.

But especially now, when every goodbye or "see you later" wasn't a guarantee, when Red Coat could cause the demise of any person they chose to, especially ones that had tricked them.

"Are you sure you have to go?" She said, her lips turning up into a pout as she watched Toby walk around _their_ bedroom, shrugging on a fresh pair of jeans, and a dark gray t-shirt.

"I _have _to go," he said, pausing in his search for clothes, to glance up at her.

Spencer could feel herself physically _panic _at the idea of Toby leaving, especially since he had just returned to her, and with them separated, it gave Red Coat more chances to pull something on them again.

"Can't you tell your boss that your services are needed elsewhere, by your very demanding girlfriend?" She teased, sucking on her bottom lip.

"I wish I could."

She watched regretfully as he threw on his leather jacket, and hitched his bag up on his shoulder, it had always been hard when he had had to go out of town, but now the separation anxiety she felt, had been increased tenfold.

"I love you," she murmured softly, as she looped her arms around his neck, reeling him in close as he blessed her forehead with a series of kisses, before traveling downward, and giving her an Eskimo kiss.

"I love you, too."

"Will you call me?"

"As soon as I get there. Aren't you going to Philly today with the girls?"

Spencer nodded. "Yeah, after school, we have to pick out prom dresses."

"Will you text me a picture?"

Spencer shook her head mysteriously. "Consider it your punishment for leaving. You won't be able to enjoy it until opening night."

He grinned, shaking his head, before leaning in, and giving her another kiss on the lips. She didn't want it to end, she held on to the kiss, even when he began to pull away.

"I'll see you in three days," he murmured against her lips, before pulling away again.

"You better," she muttered, before watching him as he wrenched the door open, and disappeared from her sight.

* * *

Philly was worlds apart from Rosewood. Full of theater, dining and shopping. The girls indulged in a little of both, as they meandered around the bustling streets, in search of the perfect dress shopping experience.

"Spence, where are the good dress shops?" Hanna asked, as she leaned down to massage her ankles. "My feet are _killing_ me."

"It's just up the road a little. Melissa went here when she had her prom."

"Are we sure we want to pick a dress where Ursula shopped?"

"Hanna," Aria interjected, shaking her head. "Jake asked me this morning."

"To prom?" Spencer said, turning around to look at her best friend. "That's _so_ great, Aria."

"You said yes, right?" Emily said, looking at her friend skeptically.

"Yeah," Aria scoffed. "I mean, it's not like I have another option, here."

Further conversation was halted when they finally happened upon the dress shop. It was a big warehouse, full of the best dresses that Philly had to offer, and for nearly every occasion, too.

"Spence, you'd look really cute in something like this," Aria said, holding up a strapless black dress with a flowing bottom.

"Yeah, if she wants to be dancing at her funeral," Hanna groused.

"I like this one," Spencer shrugged, holding out a cream colored dress with a black sash around the middle.

"Yeah, try that one on," Aria agreed, folding her selection over her arm, as she watched Spencer disappear into the fitting rooms.

When Spencer finally reappeared, her appearance earned a collective round of applause, as she twirled around, giving the girls the full view, as she watched Aria disappear next.

"What do you think?"

"I _love _it," Spencer said, eyeing the light purple gown.

"But is it _me_? Could you see me wearing this for prom?"

Spencer nodded, as Aria pirouetted around. "Most definitely."

"Two down, two to go," Aria said.

* * *

An hour later, and all four girls had successfully picked out their gowns for the upcoming prom. It had been an exhausting, but satisfying day, and all were eager to get home to prepare for the upcoming event.

"So are you going to send Toby a picture of the dress?" Emily asked, as they settled themselves in the loft, their bags situated at their feet as they longed on the sofa.

"Nope. I want him to appreciate it fully when he comes home that night."

"You're mean," Hanna teased.

"Not as mean as he is for leaving me," Spencer pointed out.

She leaned foreword, grabbing her bowl of ice cream off the table as she took a bite from it. It had been so long since she had enjoyed a girls night, and she intended on enjoying every minute of it.

"Are we staying here tonight?" Aria asked, "or no?"

"That's fine, he won't care," Spencer promised.

"So things are still frosty between your parents?" Emily guessed, reaching over to rub Spencer's shoulder.

"How long does it take for icebergs to melt?"

They fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts as they laid blankets and pillows down on the ground in preparation for the night ahead.

"Are you sleeping with us, Spence?" Aria asked, already snuggled into her pillow and blanket, as she looked with heavy eyes at her friend.

"Yeah, I just have to get my blanket."

Toby, luckily, had a spacious floor plan, so each girl had plenty of room to stretch and be comfortable in, as Spencer turned the heat up, and kicked off her ladybug slippers.

"When is Toby coming back?" Emily asked, propping herself up on her pillow as she squinted in the dark, to make out Spencer.

"The night of the prom."

"That's lucky."

"I know, he's really excited for it."

"And you guys will probably have makeup-"

"Hanna, not _everything _has to be about _that_," Spencer said, rolling her eyes. "And even if we did, it's none of your business."

"_Ouch_."

"What movie are we going to put in?" Aria asked, scooting up to her knees as she browsed through Toby's movie collection. "Action or romantic comedy?"

"Romantic comedy," the four said unison.

"As long as it's not too cheesy," Hanna amended.


	4. Chapter 4

When Spencer first awakened, she half-expected to be in either one of two positions: Either lying with her head plastered on Toby's chest, or be lying with his arm under her head, and his other arm encased around her body.

To her disappointment, she found she was in neither. Hanna's arm was draped across her shoulders, as her soft snores filled the otherwise quiet room. Spencer sighed, rolling over, pulling her blankets with her, as she fought for a more comfortable position.

"Jeez, Spence, your leg just murdered my rib cage," Aria groaned, swiping her hand across her eyes, as she struggled to a more upright position.

"Oh, sorry."

It had been a fun, but exhausting night. They all had stayed up late watching movies, and clogged their arteries with butter popcorn and different sugary snacks and drinks.

"Jake texted me last night."

"Oh, yeah?" Spencer teased, as she neatly folded her blanket, and gripped her pillow under her chest, as she cradled both in her hands. "What did sexy karate guy have to say?"

"Nothing," Aria shrugged. "He just wanted to know what time he should pick me up, and where. Is it okay if he picks me up here? And are we getting ready here?"

"Yeah," Spencer nodded, as she walked up the two steps, down the hall and to her bedroom, where she threw her blanket and pillow on the bed in a heap.

"Okay, cool," Aria said, following her back out to the living room.

The other two girls were still deeply asleep. Small drool marks lined their pillows, their mouths half-open as they slumbered.

"Think we should wake them up?" Spencer asked, casting her gaze in their direction, a look of indecision clear on her face.

"Maybe," Aria said, tapping her chin thoughtfully, before grabbing a half-empty bottle of chocolate sauce, and grinning. "We'll give them a sweet surprise."

"Ooh, can I put a cherry on top?"

Aria nodded, as she gripped the bottle and squeezed until the sauce gushed out, creating an uneven line on Hanna and Emily's heads, as it soaked into their scalp.

"Spence, do you want to bring forth the cherries?"

"I do." Spencer carefully stepped between the mess of blankets and pillows, and gently leaned down so she could place the cherries on their heads.

"This calls for a photo op," Aria said, as she took out her phone, and snapped a quick picture. "Who are we going to blame when they wake up?"

"You," Spencer shrugged. "It was your idea."

"Wow, thanks for the lookout."

Any further conversation the two friends might have had, was cut off, when Hanna groaned, rolling over on her side from her back, her hand inexplicably rubbing the chocolate sauce deeper into her hair.

"Hanna?" Spencer called softly.

"No, leave me alone, mom."

Spencer and Aria stifled giggles, as Hanna squeezed her eyes shut, obviously resisting the idea of waking up to face yet another school day.

"Hanna!" Aria said, "get up."

"It's not even time-" Hanna glanced at her phone, and groaned. "Never mind. What did you-" she began, bringing her hand back from her face, and seeing the chocolate rubbed off on it

"We made some artwork," Spencer shrugged innocently.

"On my hair!"

"Yeah, well, it's nothing your cream rinses and hair treatments can't fix," Aria said. "And don't forget the cherry," she added, as it fell onto Hanna's lap.

"Do I look like a chocolate sundae to you?"

"Right now you do."

"Who looks like a chocolate sundae?" Emily said sleepily, arching her body so she was lying on her back, as she rubbed her eyes with the palm of her hand.

"You do," Hanna said bluntly. "Thanks to those two," she jerked her thumb in the perpetrators' direction.

"What?" Emily's eyes shot open, as the cherry fell off her head and in her open hand. "What the-" she brought her hand up to her head, no doubt having been tipped off by the smell coming from her head.

"We decided to have a little fun since you two were conked out like lumps," Spencer said, sounding like it was no big deal. "But you guys have to wash it out of your hair, we have to get going soon."

"Fine," Hanna huffed, as she started to struggle to her feet, only to fall back down with a yelp when her legs got tangled with Emily's. "Emily!"

"What? It's not my fault your spider legs got webbed in mine!"

* * *

The prom committee was out in full-force when the girls arrived to school, and immediately put them to work, hanging banners and handing out fliers advertising the event.

"I think we're through," Hanna said. "I got all of the biology and history class."

"Okay, I got all my AP classes," Spencer said, as they walked down the hall. "It's really not that bad. I mean, Aria and Em got the worst of it."

"They have to hang up the banners?"

Spencer nodded. "Yeah, and guess who's supervising that?"

"Who?"

"Mona."

"On second thought, I'd rather be handing out fliers to sweaty jocks."

"Tell me all about it." Having Mona form a fragile alliance with them, was something all of them were weary about, especially considering her history with the girls.

"Did you hear from Toby?" Hanna asked, as they walked down a flight of stairs to find Aria and Emily.

"Yeah, after you guys fell asleep. He's good, his boss is really impressed so far."

"Well, he didn't get that six pack from nowhere."

Spencer shook her head, choosing to ignore Hanna's comment as they weaved their way through the throng of students milling about the school, gossiping excitedly about the upcoming prom.

"There you are," Mona said, appearing next to them as they walked. "Ooh, Hanna, I _love _that sexy cami!"

"Mona, what are you doing here?" Spencer said, sighing.

"I got drafted like you guys did."

"Are you sure you didn't blackmail your way into it?" Hanna said, lowering her eyes accusingly at her friend.

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Hanna just forget it," Spencer said, not in the mood to watch an argument sprout up between the two feuding girls. "Have you seen Aria and Emily?"

"They're down in the cafeteria hanging up banners, they were actually looking for you."

True to her word, Aria and Emily _had _been looking for Spencer and Hanna. The day had been long, Spencer was relieved when the final bell rang and they were allowed to leave the torture chamber called "school."

"Do you guys want to go over to my place?" Aria asked, as she looked back at her three friends. "Or somewhere else?"

"No, your place is good," Emily said. "Where did Mona disappear to?"

"Probably to steal candy from a baby," Hanna muttered darkly.

"Spencer?"

Spencer's eyes turned from her friends, to the two people getting out of the Cadillac.

"Are those your parents?"

"Yeah," Spencer sighed.

"We need to talk," Veronica said.


	5. Chapter 5

Spencer turned, with a look of clear incredulity on her face, to stare at her friends, who stood speechless behind her. Her mother, standing before her, confronting her there, at her school, a part of Spencer couldn't believe it.

"Well, I would love to stand here and chat, but I have to study-" she attempted to walk past her mother, only to be rebuked when Veronica reached out and grabbed her arm, keeping her in place.

"Spencer, you will _listen _to me-"

"Let _go _of me," Spencer hissed furiously, wrenching her arm free as she glared at her mother, feeling an incomparable rage overcome her, as she stared her down.

"Your dramatics have gone far enough, Spencer. It's time for this nonsense to be over with."

Spencer laughed, she couldn't help it. "My _dramatics_? My _nonsense_? Mom, _dad_ was the one who kicked me out, remember?"

Veronica shook her head, as if she thought Spencer was being ridiculous. "Spencer, your father, you know how he gets sometimes, his temper."

"Yeah, and? And you're excusing the fact that he let me leave in the middle of the night?"  
"You belong at home, Spencer. Where your education and family is."

Spencer shook her head, feeling the all too familiar irritation behind her eyelids, as she crossed her arms over her chest, wishing the conversation would be over already.

"I can handle my own education."

"Where? How? Community college?"

"That's not any of your concern anymore."

Veronica sighed, running a hand over her face as she considered her next line of attack against her daughter. "And where will you live? _Where _have you lived?"

"Well, if I tell you that, you'll wage an almighty war, and I don't think your blood pressure could handle it."

"Spencer!"

"_Toby_, okay?"

For once, Veronica Hastings was speechless. "You''re-You're _living _with him?"

"And I _really_ have to go." With that, Spencer firmly pushed herself past her mother, with her friends in tow as they made their way across the parking lot to Spencer's car.

"Well, on a scale of one to ten, that was a hundred," Aria said, looking back incredulously at Spencer, as they drove down the street toward Aria's house. "I can't believe she actually showed up at the _school_."

"I can," Spencer said, shaking her head. "Anything to make sure the _precious _Hastings name isn't tarnished."

"Is your family really that shallow that all they would care about is their name-"

"Have you _met _my parents-"

"That they would ruin their relationship with their daughter?" Aria said, looking disturbed at the thought, as she rested her hand on her chin.

"They just did."

* * *

Even though Spencer would much rather have gone to the loft and gone to bed, there was no one there. Toby was still gone, and it would have been depressing being there by herself, so she settled herself for joining the girls at Aria's house for an impromptu movie night.

"My dad's at a conference, and Mike's with his buddies," Aria said, as she led the way up to her room, switching on lights as she walked.

"Aren't you scared to be here by yourself?" Emily asked, as she took a seat, lounging on Aria's bed, as the other girls scattered themselves on her floor.

"No, not really," Aria shrugged. "It's actually nice, believe it or not."

"Ugh, do you know of any good mascara?" Hanna said. "Mine's all clumped."

"No, you can try some of mine, though," Emily said. "I got it from Paige."

"So is Jake excited for prom?" Hanna asked, munching on a carrot stick as she cuddled against one of Aria's fur pillows.

"Yeah, I mean, he's actually kind of nervous."

"Are you scared about seeing Fitz there?" Spencer asked, tapping some lip gloss on her lips as she leaned her head back against Aria's bed, her knees drawn up tight to her chest.

"No, I mean, we both know that we're going to see each other when we're out, and we both go to the same school, but it'll be okay, you know?"

Spencer nodded, sucking on her bottom lip as she sucked on the end of her pencil. "Hey, Aria?"

"Yeah?"

"What's that?" she jerked her thumb in the direction of the bottom of Aria's bed.

"What?" Aria removed herself swiftly from her bed, as she got down on her knees to peer underneath the bed. "Oh, no, guys-" shakily, she removed herself from her knees, holding the ruined remains of her prom dress in her hands, bits and pieces of it fell from her outstretched hands.

"Is that... your dress?" Emily said, scootching herself foreword for a closer view.

Aria nodded wordlessly as she picked pieces of black and white off the floor, the remains of her dress were scattered all across the room in tiny specs of color.

"Someone _broke _in _just _to ruin your dress?" Hanna said skeptically, as she watched the quiet commotion unfold in front of her. "Some drunk frat boy?"

"No," Aria whispered, shaking her head. "A." She held up the note that had been written in dried blood. "You see this? That will be what your heart feels like, A-"

"Okay, cryptic enough," Hanna snorted.

"What does that mean, exactly?" Spencer said, taking the note from Aria and examining it closely.

"I don't know," Aria said helplessly. "It could mean Jake, it could mean Ezra. It could mean _me_."

"You know, prom is supposed to be the happiest night for us, and already A has staked their claim on it," Spencer said. "Is Caleb going to be there, Han?"

"No, he's out of town right now with his dad."

"Guys, what am I going to do? A _ruined _my dress."

"Okay, we still have time to find you a new dress," Spencer assured her. "A can't stop you from getting a new dress, okay?"

"But aren't you the slightest bit concerned that this message was written in _blood_?"

"It's A text," Emily said. "We know that, it could mean anything. It could be a metaphor for your broken heart, maybe."

"Well, that's a comforting thought, Em, thanks," Aria said dryly.

"Look, either way, guys, we have to be on high alert for this thing," Spencer said. "A obviously isn't screwing around," she spoke, looking sympathetically at her friend, as she rubbed her arm.

"Well, what's new?" Hanna said. "Don't worry, we'll find you another dress before the stroke of midnight," she smile comfortingly at her friend.


	6. Chapter 6

Emily sighed, rubbing her shoulder as she settled herself in her desk chair, taking a quick pull from her water bottle. "So A just broke into Aria's house, and destroyed her dress?" Paige asked, situating herself on Emily's bed, and shaking her head in disbelief.

"Yeah, that's the long and the short of it. Now she has to find a new dress before the dance."

"But it's not just _any _dance," Paige pointed out. "Prom is kind of a big deal."

"Yeah, and A's probably going to make a splash."

"Well, I mean, what could be the worst thing that A could do in a crowded setting?"

Emily arched her eyebrows, rolling her eyes. "I don't think you want to know, but already it's turning into more stress that we don't need."

Paige nodded as she dragged her laptop onto her lap. "Just think, Emily, in the fall, we can leave this place and leave _A _behind."

"That's not entirely true."

Paige narrowed her eyes quizzically at her. "What are you saying, Em?"

"I'm saying that Caleb's mom was in California, and A managed to hunt her down, and crash her car. Even if we put _oceans _between us and A, it will never be enough."

"Okay, so," Paige said, "we just need to get proactive. We need to make sure that we have it covered, and we _will_."

Emily scoffed softly. "_Right_, you'll be my bodyguard the entire evening."

"I wouldn't mind it."

"Just forget about it-Spencer's going to tell Toby about it, and he'll probably be on high alert the whole night."

It bothered Emily that she and her friends couldn't even enjoy the traditional rite of passage, known as prom, that they couldn't let their hair down and rejoice in the fact that they had made it through their high school years.

"Well, he wants to protect Spencer, and I want to protect you," she said softly, leaning her head on Emily's shoulder.

"But I don't _need _protection. If anything, _you _need protection from _me_."

"Well, if you're asking me to go without you because of _that_, it's not going to happen."

Emily nodded, somewhat distractedly, as she checked her phone for the missed message that she had received. "Spencer just texted me, she's trying to decode the message."

"And find out who's blood it was written in?"

"I guess."

"Could it have been from the body that was found in the woods?"

"Anything's possible."

* * *

After the shock of finding Aria's ruined dress, and finding the A message, Spencer was almost relieved to retreat to the solitude the loft offered her. It was lonely without Toby, but the privacy was also a nice treat.

"Hey, baby," she said, snuggling into her pajamas as she cradled her cell phone between her ear and shoulder, as she spoke to her boyfriend.

_"Hey, babe. How are you?"_

Spencer shrugged, gripping a handful of butter popcorn as she stuffed it in her mouth. It was just one of those nights, where a bowlful of popcorn was appropriate. "I'm okay, we went shopping for the dresses."

_"The dress that I'm not allowed to see?"_

Spencer laughed-tugging some of her hair behind her ear. "No, I'm just saying that you can't see it until prom night."

_"That's another twenty-four hours, Spence."_

"I know. What time will you be home tomorrow?"

_"Early-probably when you're still asleep, actually."_

"Well, for you, I might make an exception."

Spencer could hear him laugh on the other end of the line, and it was the sweetest sound her ears could have picked up.

_"I don't think your body can handle a caffeine binge."_

"You're underestimating it," she huffed defensively. "Don't freak, okay?"

She could hear silence on the other end of the line, before Toby spoke again. _"Don't freak about what?" _There was none of the playfulness his voice had earlier possessed, now it was on edge, nervous, and she hated it.

"We might have an uninvited guest tomorrow night."

_"Who?" _

"A. They broke into Aria's house and destroyed her dress, and left their usual, cryptic parting gift."

_"I'm glad you told me, Spence. Now I'll know to watch out when we're there tomorrow night." _

"You're not going to try to convince me we shouldn't go?"

_"No. Prom is important, if it was any other dance, yes, but not prom. We'll handle the situation, whatever arises."_

"Okay."

* * *

Self-pity was something that Hanna _never _liked to indulge in. It was a trait that she had watched her mother work through, and she was determined not to fall into that same pattern.

It was easier said than done.

With Caleb gone, unable to escort her to prom, Hanna was beginning to feel the familiar inklings of the ugly "P" word, as she paced around her room, staring at her dress as it hung on its hanger on her closet door.

"Hanna?" Her mother said, as she knocked gently on her door. "You didn't come down to dinner, are you sick?"

"Um, no, Mom. I'm good."

Running a hand over her face, she sank down into her desk chair as she picked up her nail polish wand, intent on taking her anger out on her nails.

"You don't sound good," Ashley said, as she invited herself in, coming to a stop in front of her daughter.

"Whatever happened to privacy?" Hanna muttered darkly, before turning her attention to the gothic black polish she was applying to her nails.

"Is that really the nail polish you want to wear to your prom?" Ashley asked gently, as she stooped down to Hanna's level.

"No, but it matches my mood."

"Does this have something to do with Caleb?"

"Maybe," Hanna pouted. "Mom, he won't be able to take me to _prom_!"

"Does he have a good reason?"

"Well, yeah, but it still _sucks_. Spencer has Toby, Aria has Jake, and Emily has Paige, but there I am, the odd one out."

"You have to make the most out of it. You only get to go to prom once."

"Yeah, I guess. Do you have any nail polish remover?"

"I think I do somewhere," Ashley smiled."

* * *

Toby plainly knew Spencer better than she knew herself. Even though she had made herself two strong cups of coffee, her fatigue won the battle as she fell asleep, curled up in the bed, the blanket wrapped tight around her.

To her knowledge, she didn't dream. Her mind was a blank canvas as she caught up on the sleep that had come and gone over the last several weeks, especially in recent days.

"Spencer." Her mind was still deeply in the throes of sleep, but she still feel her body react when she felt a soft pressure on her lips, and the soft aroma of Toby's cologne.

"Hmm," she said, daring to peek one eye open as her vision struggled to adjust to the change from sleep to consciousness. "Hi," she rasped. "When did you get back?"

"I just walked in," he said softly.

She watched, one eye open and the other closed, as he changed into plain black pajama bottoms and removed his shirt, before climbing into a vacant side of he bed. She instantly crawled to his side, planting her head firmly on his chest.

"I missed this. Missed _you_," she said, already feeling herself become drowsy again, as she laid her hands on his chest.

"I missed you too," he said, as he pressed a kiss to her head.

"Promise that you won't leave again?"

Toby chuckled softly as he scootched himself into a more comfortable position, his arm lounging gently across Spencer. "I can't promise, but I'll try, okay?"

"Okay."

"Are you excited for prom?"

"Are _you_?"

"I am, because I'll be dancing with you."


	7. Chapter 7

Prom was supposed to be the highlight of any high school senior, but all Spencer felt was sadness, and the overwhelming realization that her mother _wouldn't_ be there to help her get ready or help her with her dress and makeup.

It was sobering to realize that Melissa had gotten their mother's undivided attention for her junior _and _senior prom, but Spencer had never received the same kind of doting affection.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Toby asked, coming out into the living room, and seeing Spencer situated at the dining table, phone in hand as she typed out a message to her friends.

"Yeah," Spencer nodded. "Aria got a new dress for tonight."

"That's good. What time are they coming over?"

"A few hours before the dance."

Toby nodded, before sitting down next to her, moving aside some of her AP books to make room for himself. "Don't tell me you're studying _today_."

The guilty grimace she let slip from her mouth, was all the confirmation he needed as he groaned, running his hands over his face. "Spence, come _on_. No one expects you to study on a day that's supposed to be about _you_."

"I know, Toby, but these are all classes that I'm behind in, and if I don't get a superior grade, I won't be able to apply to any of my second choice universities."

With reluctance, she turned her attention back to the pressing issue of her schoolwork, her pencil all but flying across the paper as she wrote out the answers to mathematical equations, and complicated formulas.

"But can't you," Toby said, leaning foreword and peppering her neck with his feather-light kisses, "take a few minutes and spend it with your adoring boyfriend?"

Spencer groaned, letting the pencil fall from her hand as she turned her full attention to her boyfriend, as their lips meshed together in a slow show of their love and passion for each other, she felt the previous issues, somehow become less important for just that second.

"Isn't this much better?" he asked, grinning against her mouth as his hand softly weaved itself through her hair.

"Yes," she breathed. "_Much_."

It didn't matter that she had the pressing matter of obtaining the grades in order to impress college scouts, it didn't matter that as much as it hurt, her mother wouldn't be there for her prom, and it didn't matter that A would most likely be gate-crashing the party, all that mattered to her was that she was in Toby's arms, arms that adored her every second of the day and night.

"You're tense," he whispered, when he finally pulled away from her.

"You want to help?"

"Absolutely."

She smiled. "Can you rub my shoulders while I work?"

"Of course." Hesitantly, she turned around so he could begin his massage, and she could refocus on her abandoned work. His touch was soft, but firm at the same time as he worked out the trouble spots in her shoulders.

"You know why I love math?"

"Hmm, why?"

"Because it's so simple! Each answer is set in stone, there's never any guesswork, unlike life."

Finally succumbing to the fact that her brain wouldn't cooperate with her, she pulled back from the table and stood, stretching out the muscles that had been stagnant.

Reaching for a hair tie, she quickly pulled her thick hair back into a messy bun as she flopped down on the sofa, lounging on it as she reached for her phone.

"Spencer, is everything okay?"

Shrugging, she set her phone back on the coffee table as she leaned her head back, staring up at the ceiling. "I don't know."

She felt the sofa sag a little when he sat down at the end, reaching for her feet and propping them on his lap. "What do you mean you don't know?"

If there was one thing that Spencer Hastings did _not _like, it was crying. She considered it a weakness, no doubt a product of having that drilled into her head for years by her family, but she could feel the familiar itch behind her eyelids, and knew that she was going to lose the battle.

"It's just, my Mom helped Melissa get ready for her prom, and I'll never be able to share that with her. I just want my _Mom_," she cried, feeling the saltwater fall down her cheeks as she tried to wipe them away.

"Oh, Spence," Toby said softly, as he laid down, gently pulling Spencer until she was lying on top of him, as he ran his hand soothingly through her hair. "Baby, it's going to be okay, I promise."

She shook her head, fisting his shirt in her hand. "How? I don't have a relationship with either of my parents, and the worst thing about it is that they just don't _care_."

"They care in their own way."

Spencer shook her head, as she listened to the sounds of Toby's beating heart. "At least I know that I'm with someone who I _know _loves me."

"Always," he whispered, fingering her hair.

* * *

With eyes still red from her waterworks, Spencer splashed water on her face, pulled her hair back and answered the door for her friends, who each had bags overflowing with makeup and their dresses for the evening.

"Hey, guys!" Spencer moved aside so they could deposit their bags on the floor, as they each engaged in a short group hug. "Can you believe it's _really _here?"

"No," Hanna scoffed. "I thought for sure I would be old and wrinkled when it finally came."

"Not with your products, sweetie," Aria said, patting Hanna's arm.

The girls followed Spencer into the spacious bathroom, where they arranged their makeup products on the counter.

"We made it," Spencer said. "We should all celebrate for that."

Emily bowed her head, as she unscrewed the lid off her mascara tube. "Not all of us made it."

"Yeah, I know," Spencer said quietly, as she grabbed a washcloth and washed her face thoroughly. "But we can still have fun, right?"

Emily nodded, forcing a smile on her face.

"Spence, are you okay? You look like you've been crying," Aria said.

Spencer shrugged. "I just had a little meltdown over my parents. It's over, I'm fine."

"So where's Toby?" Emily asked, as she carefully applied her mascara.

"He went out to get some pizzas and soda."

In reality, Spencer knew that he had wanted to give her and the girls some time together, before the craziness of the night unfolded before them.

"So, are you guys doing it?" Hanna asked, sneaking a glance into Spencer and Toby's bedroom, and smirking with what she saw.

"Hanna!" Aria interjected sharply.

"Good girls don't kiss and tell," Spencer replied coyly.

"Come _on_, Spencer. It's just us," Hanna probed.

"Fine," Spencer said with a smirk. "We do. Right where you're sitting."

Hanna scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Well, no wonder. It looks like a tornado went through these sheets, do you guys even take a-"

"Moving. On," Aria said, exchanging a look with Emily that clearly implied they were over that conversation.

"What lipstick shade are you wearing, Aria?" Emily asked, obviously wanting a change of subject.

"What about you, Spence?" Hanna asked.

"Sweetheart red," Spencer said, dramatically applying the makeup. "I've kind of taken over our bathroom with this stuff."

Hanna smirked. "What about the shower?"

"I give up," Aria said.

"Listen, Spence, you guys are _living _together. It's natural-hey!" She protested as Emily shoved a bagel in her mouth.

"What?" Emily said, feeling defensive.

Spencer was about to defend her friend when her phone rang, signaling a text. "It's Toby," she said, smiling.

"Wow. He can change your mood pretty fast, can't he?" Hanna smirked again, forgetting about Emily. "What did he say?"

"It's...classified," Spencer said.

"And anyway, Hanna, it's prom-"

"And I don't have my date," Hanna scoffed.

"Han. Are you okay?" Spencer asked, her previous irritation gone from her voice, now only filled with concern.

"Yeah, yeah," Hanna said, quickly running her fingers through her eyes. "Just...with Caleb gone," she said, blinking rapidly.

"Well," Aria said. "If Jake hadn't asked me, I would totally go with you."

"Thanks. But I'm fine. Promise." She sucked in some air and smiled.

"Are you sure, sweetie?"

Hanna nodded as she heated up the curling iron for her hair. "Thanks, but I'm good. Just a self-pity moment. And anyway, why are you always into teachers?"

"Hanna!"

"I'm not _only _into teachers." Aria paused, considering her words. "I guess it's just luck."

"Are you _sure _Toby doesn't mind us getting ready here?" Emily asked, searching around for a change of subject.

"Are you kidding? He was the one who came up with the idea."

"Well if you need us to help clean up..."

"How are things with your parents, Spence?" Aria asked. "Have you talked to them since you saw your Mom?"

"Well, my Dad told me if I left to never come back, so..." Spencer's gaze momentarily left her friends as she looked down, sniffling. "But jokes aside, it's the same."

"Spence, I'm sorry," Aria said, reaching across to touch her friend's arm.

"I told them something about Melissa," Spencer said, as she reached for some nail polish remover, and her nail polish. "I told them that she was involved with the fire. Even if she 'protected' me, they need to know she's included in a lot more."

"I'm sorry," Hanna said abruptly. "But I don't believe it for a second. How does she explain the super bitchy act that she's perfected?"

Emily shook her head. "You don't believe her, do you, Spence?"

"Look, all I know is that Melissa has some explaining to do."

"Guys, look," Aria said, screwing the cap of some moisturizer back on. "We all know we have a ton of answers to get from her, A and others, but tonight, right now? It's _prom._"

"You're right," Spencer said, glancing at the clock. "Wow. Toby should be back in an hour and I'm nowhere _near _ready."

"Ooh, getting dressed up for your guy," Emily teased.

"Well, if I was you, I'd be dressing _down_," Hanna remarked.

"This is _prom. _A school event, Hanna," Aria reminded her.

"So what?" Hanna said flippantly. "You could leave early and then-"

"Why aren't you ragging on Aria?"

Spencer smiled at her friends banter as she carefully removed her dress from the door handle, and gently removed it from its packaging. "Can you guys help me here?"

"You know, I'm sure Toby will be back soon," Hanna said, shrugging.

Ignoring their blond friend, Aria and Emily went over to help their friend. "Thanks," Spencer smiled gratefully as they gently lowered the dress over her head.

"Wow, Spence," Emily shook her head in disbelief.

Spencer smiled. It wasn't too short but enough to show off her legs. It was white, plain and simple. The material was soft, too.

And for once, Spencer allowed herself to enjoy something as simple as prom, and all the fun that went with it.


	8. Chapter 8

Even though her heart was still in shreds about her mother, Spencer was determined to enjoy the rest of the night as she, the girls and Toby left the loft to make their way to the school for the start of the evening activities.

"Wow, it's like this place turned into an alternate universe where people are actually _happy _to be here," Hanna remarked dryly, as a few unruly students shoved past them in their haste to get on the dance floor.

"Yeah, well, when teachers aren't _forcing _you to be here, people tend to become excited," Spencer said, as she clung tightly to Toby's arm, her other arm was slung through Aria's as they surveyed the scene before them.

"Guys, listen," Toby said, turning to face them. "If you see anyone that looks like a threat, or get any messages from A, come find me right away, are we clear?"

"Absolutely," the four girls agreed, nodding in unison with each other.

Mingling with partygoers, acting like a typical high school senior, it was an experience that Spencer hadn't had in a long time, as she sashayed over to the refreshment table, intent on getting herself a drink.

"I wouldn't," Toby warned. "I brought you a drink." He passed her a Gatorade bottle as she took a grateful drink from it, before wiping her mouth on the back of her hand.

"Thanks, but why not?"

"If A is going to be here, we don't know where they'll leave their mark. Better to be safe than sorry."

"I don't think I have anything to worry about. Aria's the target, not me."

"Where is she?" Toby asked, looking over the heads of the gyrating crowd as he searched for one head in particular.

"She's off dancing somewhere with Jake."

Toby nodded, relaxing his tense position as he looped his hand through hers. "Which is what we should be doing." Spencer laughed as he playfully dragged her out onto the dance floor, spinning her around in time to the fast beat of the song.

"I like this," Spencer whispered against his ear, as the song changed to a slower one, and the dancing around them slowed. "I like being with you."

"I like it too," Toby whispered, as his hands encircled themselves around her waist as he rocked them gently back and forth. "It's a nice shift from the usual, isn't it?"

Spencer nodded, as she laid her head on his chest, her arms firmly wrapped around his back, as they rocked back and forth. "Yes, being in your arms, it helps."

"I'm glad." She could feel the shadow of his breath on the hollow of her neck as she closed her eyes, imagining somehow that she and Toby were in another dimension, dancing by themselves, with no threats, no stress.

* * *

"They look happy, don't they?" Hanna said, nodding her head in the direction of Spencer and Toby as they swayed to the music.

"Yeah," Emily shrugged. "He loves her, she loves him. They would do anything for each other."

"Yeah, I mean, if you're willing to become the devil for each other," Hanna shrugged. "I guess so. What about you, where's Paige?"

"She's getting some punch for us," Emily smiled. "What about you?"

"I've been a silent observer," Hanna said, forcing a smile on her face as she took a satisfying pull from her punch glass.

"I'm sorry, Han," Emily said, reaching over and firmly rubbing her arm.

"Thanks, but I'm fine, just a little sad."

"Well, is there anything I can do to fix that?" Caleb said, ghosting in front of her, dressed handsomely in a black and white tuxedo, his usually messy hair slicked back, as he grinned down at her.

"Caleb!" Hanna laughed in astonishment, as she all but jumped into his arms, as she pulled back from the tight embrace to give him a peck on the lips, a kiss that lasted far too short in her opinion.

"I thought about it, and I knew that I couldn't miss this."

"Did you plan this?" She asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I swear I didn't. I just knew that my trip with my Dad could wait, but your prom couldn't."

Hanna shook her head in disbelief at the typ of boyfriend she had, and how he would so quickly change his plans, somehow get himself together in time, and surprise her there.

"Was your dad disappointed?"

"He told me to be where my heart was, and that's with you," Caleb replied, as he swept a stray tear away from Hanna's face.

"Well, tell your Dad, I said thanks," Hanna said, as she threw her arms around his neck, burying her head in his neck, as he kissed the top of her head tenderly.

* * *

While her friends and fellow classmates, reveled in the thrill of prom and the finality it presented in their high school life, Aria spent most of the night glancing over her shoulder every which way, avoiding the punch bowl, and making sure she didn't touch any of the food.

"Are you okay? You've been jumping like a frog every time someone comes up," Jake remarked, offering her a drink which she waved away.

"Yeah, yeah," Aria nodded. "I'm just a little jumpy, prom jitters."

"Are you sure? You see that old boyfriend of yours here?"

"No," Aria shook her head.

If there was one thing to be grateful for, it was that Ezra had decided to skip the event, unlike the rest of their teachers, who seemed to consider the dance, their opportunity to let their own hair down.

"Are you sure?"

"It was just that I expected to be here with him, but things change."

He reached for her, throwing an arm around her shoulders as he pulled her into a hug that she reciprocated gently, but with none of the usual thrill and passion she felt when Ezra hugged her like that.

Over his shoulder, she felt her blood crystalize as she saw the familiar black hoodie appear in the middle of the dancing crowd, silent and forboding as ever, but ever present as A stared calmly back at her.

"Do you see something?" Jake asked, stepping into her line of vision, blocking her view of the enemy.

"I-I don't know," she said distractedly, as she side-stepped around him, intent on finding Spencer and Toby, warning them about the threat. "I'm sorry, I have to go find my friends."

"Okay, that's fine," he said, looking thoroughly confused as he let her walk around him.

"I have to say, Mr. Cavanaugh, this evening has been pretty outstanding," Spencer said, as she took a swig of her drink, replacing the cap as she leaned into his shoulder.

"I'm glad," he smiled. "I consider myself pretty lucky. I have the prettiest girl in my arms."

"Guys," Aria said. "Sorry to butt in."

"What's wrong?" Spencer asked, at the same time that Toby opened his mouth, undoubtedly about to ask the same question.

"I saw A."


	9. Chapter 9

"Are you _sure _that's what you saw, Aria?" Spencer asked, looking past her as she searched the heads of the mingling crowd, in search for anything out of the norm, anything invisible to the naked, untormented eye.

"I-I don't know," Aria said helplessly. "I was dancing with Jake, and I-I saw someone in a black hoodie, staring at us."

"Okay, do you know where Hanna and Em are?" Toby asked, placing a calming hand on Spencer's shoulder.

Aria shook her head. "No. The last I saw, Emily was at the punch bowl with Paige, and Hanna was dancing with Caleb."

It was an impossible situation-the high school, normally a maze of classes and offices, was now even more hectic with the rush and confusion of the gyrating students and teachers.

"Okay," Toby said, "let's go and find them. Stick _together_," he emphasized, as he took Spencer's hand, and watched as Spencer and Aria joined arms with each other, before leading them through the throng of people.

"Would A ever do anything if we were alone?" Aria asked, having to raise her voice over the heavy beat of the music.

"No. Right now, their main goal is to get you girls isolated. Once that's accomplished, the mind tricks begin."

_Comforting thought, _Spencer thought, as she reflexively clung tighter to the crook of Toby's arm, as the three of them weaved their way through the tight crowd, doing their best to ignore the shoves and jostles that came their way.

"What if A did something to them?" Aria asked, once they had firmly cut a path through the crowd, and were now standing where Emily should have been. "Damn it, she's not here."

"Emily!" Spencer called, her chocolate eyes searching frantically for her lost friend. "Hanna!"

"Spence," Aria said, grabbing her by the shoulders, and holding her phone up to her face to highlight the new A text. "My, my what fun, two shaking bitches. A."

"Come on," Toby said, hesitantly leading them away from the refreshments table, as they made their way back from where they had come.

"What does that text even _mean_?" Aria asked desperately, scrambling to keep up with Spencer and Toby's fast pace as they pushed their way through the double-wide doors of the gym, and out into the main hallway.

"That A has us right where A wants us," Spencer said, her eyes scanning every locker and door for possible clues.

"Guys," Aria said, handing Spencer her phone, her face changing from her normal palette to a bright white in a matter of only seconds.

"You better hurry, I hear suffocation is a slow, painful way to die. A."

"Spread out," Toby said, already making his way over to the lockers, and swinging each open as he walked by. "Open all these lockers, then go to the bathroom stalls."

"Hanna! Emily!" Spencer called, nearly tripping over herself as she swung the locker doors open, searching for any clue that would lead them to their missing friends.

"You're getting colder. A," Aria said, her phone in front of her face, as she tailed Spencer and Toby.

"Toby, check the bathroom!" Spencer called, seeing him walk a little ways ahead of her as he searched.

"Okay, be careful!" He called back, over his shoulder.

"Let's go," Spencer said, looking unsure of their course of action, as she and Aria turned a corner and walked into the girl's bathroom. "Someone cut the lights in here." Indeed, when she tried to turn on the switch, it was clear the power had been cut.

"Hanna! Emily!" Aria called, trying all the stall doors but finding nothing, as she searched frantically. "Spence, this one is locked," she said, as she leaned her tiny body weight against the door, and pushing against it with all her might.

"Move over," Spencer firmly instructed, as she kicked a high-heeled boot into the door, leaving scoff marks, but leaving no physical impact. "Damn it!" She tried again, with limited success.

"Hand me your hair clip," Aria said, holding out her hand.

"Okay," Spencer fumbled with her hair piece as she handed it over to her friend, watching as Aria slid it smoothly into the tiny lock, grunting as she tried to work the lock.

"You have to grip the handle, and turn it while you're working it," Spencer said, leaning down beside Aria as she watched her progress.

"I...got it. I got it!" Aria said, wasting no time in turning the knob. "Oh, Emily, Hanna," she whispered, leaning down to inspect the two unconscious individuals on the floor.

"Hanna, Emily," Spencer said, stooping down and gently rubbing their shoulders, trying to invoke some kind of reaction out of them.

"She's got a bump on her head," Aria said, as she reached for Emily's hand. "Her pulse is good, though."

"Okay, so is Hanna's," Spencer said, sitting down on the dirty tile floor, leaning her head back against the stall door. "We can't do anything except wait."

"A couldn't even let us enjoy prom," Aria said, shaking her head in disbelief. "I mean, why? Couldn't they take a break like the rest of us?"

"Well, they know that prom is important to us, so naturally they would crash it," Spencer sighed.

"When is it going to be over, though?" Aria said, leaning foreword as she wrapped her arms around her legs.

"Whenever A or Red Coat decides it is."

"That's a comforting-"

"Whoa," Hanna said, coming to, as her eyes blinked rapidly, searching around her and her surroundings. "What the hell just happened?"

"You guys were knocked out," Spencer said. "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap," Hanna groaned. "I don't even remember what happened. I just remember standing with Caleb, and then we got separated..."

"A probably," Aria filled in quietly.

"I don't know, but why would they stick us in a _bathroom_?" Hanna said, looking thoroughly disgusted at her location.

"Not the most important part of this story," Spencer said dryly.

Their attention was diverted when Emily began to arouse, her lithe body stretching feebly as her beautiful eyes opened, shooting glances to her friends before realization of where she was, overtook her.

"Hanna, are you okay?" Emily asked, trying to sit up, but falling back with a groan.

"Em, just take it easy," Spencer warned, pushing her back down gently. "She's fine, we're all fine, but you have a bump on your head."

"From A?"

"I guess so," Spencer shrugged. "Depends on what you remember."

"I remember being at the punch bowl with Paige, and then there was _nothing_. I remember her walking away, and then someone hitting me."

Spencer sighed, running her hand over her face as she assessed her friends' condition. "At least it wasn't worse," she said, trying to find the silver lining in all of it.

"Yeah," Hanna said, throwing her arms around Emily. "A tried, but failed."

"A always does," Spencer smiled.


	10. Chapter 10

**Epilogue **

_Six Months Later_

Spencer lounged on the sofa, her legs stretched out over Toby's lap as she balanced her laptop precariously on her lap, studying feverishly for the entry level college exam she had to complete for Brown University.

"Are you sure you have to study _right now_?"

Spencer shrugged one shoulder, as she resumed her typing. "I have to. Exams are in a few weeks."

"Did you look at the campus already?"

Spencer nodding, smiling in spite of herself. Even though UPENN had rejected her, she had still managed to achieve entry into her second choice college.

"Yeah, I went last weekend. They have good on-campus housing, and the commute isn't that bad."

Before she had been accepted into Brown, Spencer had never considered living anywhere _but _at home, but the university was in Rhode Island, and the commute from there to Rosewood every day, would be a challenge in and of itself.

"Yeah," Toby nodded, looking down. "So what's the plan?"

Spencer sighed, batting away her tears as she inhaled a deep breath. "I am going to come every weekend and see you and see the girls, and during the summer breaks, I'll be right here every single day."

Toby nodded, forcing a smile on his face. "I'm just so happy for you, Spence. You worked for it, and you deserve every inch of this."

"Thank you," she said, putting her laptop aside as she worked her way up to a sitting position, before leaning over and connecting her lips with his, holding the kiss for a minute. "I love you," she whispered, when she pulled back.

"I love you, too. How are things with your parents?"

"Well, they're never really good, but we went out to lunch and it went really good. My Dad even stopped getting that sour-puss look on his face when I brought you up."

Toby laughed once, shaking his head. "Wow, what an improvement," he said sarcastically.

"With my parents, it's like world peace was declared," Spencer said, rolling her eyes. "They're proud of me for getting into Brown."

"I am, too," he whispered. "I love you."

"I love you, too."


End file.
